News Review

Good results derive from good teaching, care for the pupils and well-run departments (Alamy)

Like many families, our national offer day experience for secondary school
was depressing. Our son reached stage two of the tests for Tiffin School,
the boys’ grammar in Kingston upon Thames, southwest London, but was not
awarded a place, despite being the top boy at his primary school. The new
tests, based on English and maths, have replaced verbal and non-verbal
reasoning tests. The latter, which were IQ-style tests, gave a genuine
indication of each child’s potential, while the new exams can be tutored
for, making the process deeply flawed. My other concern is that the
government has not allowed for the rising numbers of pupils seeking
secondary school places.Name and address withheld

National offer day can be a nightmare. Last year one in six children did not
get their first choice, but in London this year 31% of children missed out.
In the west London borough of Hammersmith